Help! my bench plateaued

[fritz2435]

Last year about this time, I was benching about 245 max, then i peaked out for about 2 months. I started taking creatine and saw my bench go up to 275 in about 3 months. Hoowever, I have been stuck at 275 for quite a while (9 months) My incline was almost up to my bench at one time (I was maxing at 265), but it has since fallen. Does anyone know how to break through this plateau I have been stuck at? Thx in advance

[Pwrlfter]

It sounds like you are overtrained to me, you need to back off for a few weeks. If your strength is dropping you are probably tempted to increase your sets/reps, that is the opposite of what you need to do. Another thing you can do is increase your caloric intake, if you don't mind having a spare tire around your waist.

[cdog]

I fI was you I would take at least a week off .Also I would change my routine start adding Boards and do board presses and lockouts .Lastly I would check my diet make sure your diet is in order ...CDOG

[RageControl]

Are you lifting with a spotter. i know sometime when i get stuck i throw a little extra weight on and have a good spotter watch my lifts. Lower reps with more weight seem to get me threw everytime.

[fritz2435]

Pwrlifter- I think i may in fact have overtrained. How many days should I take off? It kills me to take time off bench as I feel as I am falling behind...

Cdog- I just started a new diet a week ago consisting of about 2800 cals (about 290g pro, 275g carb, 60g fat) This is a lot more cals than i used to eat. The funny thing is that I started taking Nox2 about 12 days ago, and I had to cycle off creatine. At the time, I weighed 166. After cycling off for 10 days, I weighed 163. Then, I started creatine again and 2 days later, i'm 160. I can see more definition, but I am looking to bulk, not cut. I figured that at 165 lbs and not doing any cardio, 2800 cals was sufficient to bulk without significant fat gain. I guess I need more cals?

RageControl, yes, I do lift with a spotter. I have recently switched over to a 5 set 5 rep bench program in which i get 2 sets of 5 on my own then work to failure on the last 3 sets with a spot. Should I do negatives up to rep 5 or just stop at failure?

Thank you 3 for responding!

[spywizard]

take a week off.. carbo load the day before... (am workout) carb/energy drink just before workout..


with a helper... put 30%more than you can lift on a max 1... bring it down to your chest.. lift.... with assistance... x 3 reps.. 1 set only.. also do a static for as long as you can with the last rep.. 12-20 seconds..

keep your spotter close, and or use a smith machine..

you can only do this like 1 x a month... and you will need to take at least 5 days off...

and yes of coarse do a warm up set... 2 sets only 6 reps.. remember it is a warmup.. not a preload............

i use this to break through...

but hey.. i just put up 500... what do i know...........

and i'm 43.......... good luck........

[fritz2435]

Spywizard, Should I take a break completely, as in no chest exercises whatsoever, or just no benching? Also, with the negatives, am I supposed to do them fresh after the warm up or after I have already done a few sets?

[Beat]

Pwrlifter- I think i may in fact have overtrained. How many days should I take off? It kills me to take time off bench as I feel as I am falling behind...

Cdog- I just started a new diet a week ago consisting of about 2800 cals (about 290g pro, 275g carb, 60g fat) This is a lot more cals than i used to eat. The funny thing is that I started taking Nox2 about 12 days ago, and I had to cycle off creatine. At the time, I weighed 166. After cycling off for 10 days, I weighed 163. Then, I started creatine again and 2 days later, i'm 160. I can see more definition, but I am looking to bulk, not cut. I figured that at 165 lbs and not doing any cardio, 2800 cals was sufficient to bulk without significant fat gain. I guess I need more cals?

RageControl, yes, I do lift with a spotter. I have recently switched over to a 5 set 5 rep bench program in which i get 2 sets of 5 on my own then work to failure on the last 3 sets with a spot. Should I do negatives up to rep 5 or just stop at failure?

Thank you 3 for responding!

trust me bro, you wount fall behind, some time of will make you stronger and bigger, but you´re not gonna fall behind

[spywizard]

Rest... or with heavy negatives.. i find that is the only one i do on that day... but i'm a sick fuc....

i do tear downs at the same time..

warm up.. get a pump going.. then go for it......

do your normal hevy tricep routine 3 days before the bench.. this will give enough time for them to recover.. If you have big triceps.. you will be more successful with your bench...


I'm trying to remember.. there was a traininig plan that called for no bench work at all for like 30 days... but you worked all the supportive muscle groups.. then back at the bench... that normally adds 25-50 lbs to a bench off the bat..

Spywizard, Should I take a break completely, as in no chest exercises whatsoever, or just no benching? Also, with the negatives, am I supposed to do them fresh after the warm up or after I have already done a few sets?

[LM1332]

i see best gains after about two weeks off. I eat like an animal rest and sleep and when i go back i see incredible strength increase.

[Pwrlfter]

You can't lift all out, every single workout. You can get away with a few months at a time but then you plateau and this is where alot of guys mess up. They will increase the workload and intensity, to try to work through it and not only not make more gains but end up with an injury.

One way to avoid overtraining is to drop down on your weights every 3rd or 4th week, then increase the weight again, another way is to eat alot more. That's what the powerlifters in the unlimited weight class do, but that's not the best option if you are trying to keep your bf low.

If you are overtrained, take a full week off from not only chest, but shoulders and tri's too. Then come back and do a light week with high reps and medium intensity. Depending on how overtrained you are you may need even more time to recover.

I used to overtrain for years, it took me a long time to figure out the right way to go about it. You can either go all out for awhile then take a week off, or you can lower the amount of sets you do for chest, or limit the weight you use for assistance exercises since for me its usually my tri's or shoulders that overtrain and mess my bench press up.

[DBarcelo]

When I reach a plateau, I take some time off, let myself get weaker and then I start full blast again. That gets me past it without much of a problem even though I know it sounds odd. It also depends on what I'm stuck on. On bench, I sometimes just workout my sticking point. If I have a problem getting the bar through the mid point, I do a bunch of benchpresses just at the middle of the movement (not lifting it all the way up and not letting it go all the way to my chest).

I'm just letting you know what tends to work for me and I'm not suggesting either of these as rutines for anyone.

[znak]

Agree with Spy-- heavy negatives.

or

I put 100%- 110% ORM on smith machine and push until it is moving and then lower back down. My weak spot on my bench is the bottom.

[fritz2435]

I tried doing the heavy negatives and was sore for a couple days after. What should I follow that workout with? my usual repping? or should I lower weight or increase weight?

[spywizard]

wow......... take 10 days off....

go back and do 90% of your max and start from there with your regular routine...

I tried doing the heavy negatives and was sore for a couple days after. What should I follow that workout with? my usual repping? or should I lower weight or increase weight?

[DDA]

Last year about this time, I was benching about 245 max, then i peaked out for about 2 months. I started taking creatine and saw my bench go up to 275 in about 3 months. Hoowever, I have been stuck at 275 for quite a while (9 months) My incline was almost up to my bench at one time (I was maxing at 265), but it has since fallen. Does anyone know how to break through this plateau I have been stuck at? Thx in advance

Thread,
How often do you train chest, shoulders tri's and back? Sticking points are often related to overtraining.

Signed,
dd

[fritz2435]

wow......... take 10 days off....

go back and do 90% of your max and start from there with your regular routine...

What's the wow for? Am i doing something wrong?
I don't really understand what you'r saying about the 90%. Should I just rep it to failure or do negatives with it?

[RP7]

I have plateau problem aswell. One of the PTs in my gym recommended to lay off becnh for a bit, and try pushups. Twice a week, about 4 sets to absolute failure, w/full recovery (10 min or so) between sets. He said it was all about getting the body used to the motion.

What do you guys think of this?

[spywizard]

I never rep it anymore..........

i do at most 5 reps.. if i can do 8-12 like i used to train.. i just add more weight..

example for you..

3 sets..

8 reps 1st set... 75% of your max lift
6 reps 2nd set 90% of your max lift
5 reps 3rd set 110% of your max... as soon as you can do all 5 without assistance.. add more weight..

if you want add a 4th set... 75% of your max lift rep out......... good luck with that.........

What's the wow for? Am i doing something wrong?
I don't really understand what you'r saying about the 90%. Should I just rep it to failure or do negatives with it?

[RP7]

with a helper... put 30%more than you can lift on a max 1... bring it down to your chest.. lift.... with assistance... x 3 reps.. 1 set only.. also do a static for as long as you can with the last rep.. 12-20 seconds..

keep your spotter close, and or use a smith machine..

you can only do this like 1 x a month... and you will need to take at least 5 days off...

and yes of coarse do a warm up set... 2 sets only 6 reps.. remember it is a warmup.. not a preload............

Couple quick ones spywizard:

1) How long should the negatives be (in seconds)?

2) Should I continue my chest workout afterwards (as in this was just substituted for flat bench) or is that it?

Thanks!!!

[Hit-That]

All good strength training programs are based on 5x5's. This is what will work for you:
Week1
Mon
Bench
160x5
170x5
180x5
190x5
200x5

Thurs
Bench
170x3
180x3
195x3
205x3
215x3

Add 5lbs to all of these sets for the next week. I'll give you your second weeks bench workout:

Week2
Mon
Bench
165x5
175x5
185x5
195x5
205x5

Thurs
Bench
175x3
185x3
200x3
210x3
220x3

Don't do any extra chest work. Don't perform any more than 3 sets for triceps each bench day and 3 sets for shoulders each bench day(not too heavy).
Keep adding the 5lbs per week for your bench.

When you can't perform all the reps, drop the reps down and keep increasing the weight each week.

So if your on you 5 sets x 5 reps day, you will change it to 5 sets x 3 reps(keep adding the 5lbs per week)

If your on your 5 sets x 3 reps day, you will change it to 5 sets x 1 rep( keep adding the 5lbs per week).

Guaranteed to work.

[fritz2435]

Thread,
How often do you train chest, shoulders tri's and back? Sticking points are often related to overtraining.

Signed,
dd

A typical week for me would look like:
Mon-chest, tri's
Tues-Bi's
Wed-Shoulders, abs, cardio
Thurs-Legs
Fri-Back, abs
Sat-off, cardio
Sun- repeat cycle

[PrairieDawg]

i was on a plateau with my bench for 8 months then i read about this different kind of workout. you do 6-8 reps of the maximum weight you can with only ONE set per exercise and about 11 or 13 different exercises. this way you're working every aspect of your chest. I was very sceptical at first but i didnt have much choice. now im adding weight to my bench at least every 2 weeks

[RP7]

i was on a plateau with my bench for 8 months then i read about this different kind of workout. you do 6-8 reps of the maximum weight you can with only ONE set per exercise and about 11 or 13 different exercises. this way you're working every aspect of your chest. I was very sceptical at first but i didnt have much choice. now im adding weight to my bench at least every 2 weeks

Can you post or PM me this workout bro?

[PuddleMonkey]

A typical week for me would look like:
Mon-chest, tri's
Tues-Bi's
Wed-Shoulders, abs, cardio
Thurs-Legs
Fri-Back, abs
Sat-off, cardio
Sun- repeat cycle

Holy sh*t! I find that 'less is more'. The more days I work out, the less gains I see. Right now I'm doing 4 days a week and growing like a weed!
Sun- Shoulders, Abs
Mon- Off
Tues- Bi's, Back
Wed- Off
Thurs- Legs
Fri- Off
Sat- Chest, Tri's

I'll worry about cardio more when I cut. I do mix in a cardio day here and there, once a week maybe.

[PrairieDawg]

Can you post or PM me this workout bro?

will do

[barbarian]

try getting your shoulders and tricepts stronger to not just chest, it will help alot, they are used for 50% of the lift..